Lentil and Tomato Soup
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1 large		onion
1 clove		garlic
1 stick		celery
1 tablespoon	margarine or olive oil
2 cans		skinned tomatoes (or fresh)
1/4 lb		red lentils (masoor dal)
1 pint		vegetable stock
1 teaspoon	basil
1		bay leaf
to taste	salt, pepper, tomato puree/paste, lemon juice

Fry  the  finely  chopped  onion  and  celery with the minced garlic in the
margarine/olive  oil.  Add the red lentils, skinned tomatoes, the vegetable
stock  and  the  basil  and  bay  leaf.  Simmer  for  about 20 minutes. The
lentils  should  be  soft  and  mushy.  If the soup seems too anaemic add a
little  tomato  puree.  Add salt and pepper to taste also. Take the soup of
the  heat  and  liquidise  with  a hand held blender till smooth. Add lemon
juice to taste.

Serve with croutons or crusty wholemeal bread.